Craft Brew Alliance Receives Vendor of Excellence Award

PORTLAND, Ore.— Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. (“CBA”) BREW +0.07% , an independent craft brewing company, announced today that it received the “2013 Vendor of Excellence” award from Buffalo Wild Wings, a leading national restaurant chain with more than 1,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada. The award was presented to CBA by Buffalo Wild Wing’s Chief Executive Officer and President Sally Smith at the company’s recent annual convention held in Dallas, Texas.

Buffalo Wild Wings named five 2013 Vendors of Excellence, with CBA being the sole beverage vendor to win the award, in recognition of the brewing company’s strategic partnership and commitment to supporting Buffalo Wild Wing’s brand expansion and growth. In 2013, Redhook Brewery, one of the leading brands in CBA’s portfolio of craft beer brands, worked with Buffalo Wild Wings to develop a new beer, Redhook Game Changer, a pale ale designed to complement the restaurant’s wings and sports dining experience. Game Changer quickly became one of the top-selling beers at Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants, with its balance of caramel malts and American-grown hops that pair well with hot, spicy wings, as well as its sessionable 4.6 ABV.

“We’re thrilled to receive the Vendor of Excellence award from Buffalo Wild Wings,” said CBA Chief Executive Officer Andy Thomas. “Given the scale and caliber of Buffalo Wild Wings’ other beverage vendors, it is indeed a very special honor to have differentiated ourselves and earn this outstanding recognition — especially from a progressive beer-centric retailer like Buffalo Wild Wings. With the Redhook brand, our passion is to introduce craft beer to as many beer lovers as possible, and Buffalo Wild Wings created an exceptional opportunity for CBA to do just that while also helping to grow their brand and business. We look forward to continuing to build our partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings to promote our entire portfolio of Redhook Kona, Omission and Widmer Brothers.”

“We are very fortunate to have so many creative and committed partners who work with us on a daily basis to create positive experiences for our guests,” said Patrick Kirk, Director of Beverage Innovation for Buffalo Wild Wings. “Last year, CBA and Redhook helped drive both tremendous growth and cross over drinkers to higher margin craft beers with their unwavering commitment and partnership, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them in the future.”

The Buffalo Wild Wings Vendor of Excellence awards are distributed at the company’s annual convention in Dallas, Texas. Winners are chosen based on input from the home office, field teams and all company and franchise restaurants.

About Craft Brew Alliance

CBA is an independent, publicly traded craft brewing company that was formed through the merger of leading Pacific Northwest craft brewers — Widmer Brothers Brewing and Redhook Ale Brewery — in 2008. With an eye toward preserving and growing one-of-a-kind craft beers and brands, CBA welcomed Kona Brewing Company in 2010, and then launched Omission beer in 2012 and Square Mile Cider Company in 2013.

When Kurt & Rob Widmer founded Widmer Brothers Brewing in 1984, they didn’t confine their brewing exploration to strict style guidelines. To this day, Widmer Brothers continues to create craft beers with a unique and unconventional twist on traditional styles that are award winning and please a wide range of craft beer lovers. Redhook began in a Seattle transmission shop in 1981 and those colorful roots are reflected in the brand’s personality to this day. The eminently drinkable beers consistently win awards and please crowds across the United States. Kona Brewing was founded in 1994 by the father and son team of Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa, who dreamed of crafting fresh, local-island brews with spirit, passion and quality. As the largest craft brewery in Hawaii, Kona personifies the laid-back, passionate lifestyle and environmental respect of the Hawaiian people and culture. Omission beer is the first craft beer brand in the United States focused exclusively on brewing great tasting craft beers with traditional beer ingredients, including malted barley, that are specially crafted to remove gluten. Square Mile Cider was inspired by the fortitude and perseverance of the original Oregon pioneers and reinvigorates this enduringly classic American beverage.